Interlocking sheet piles and method of installation



United States Patent O 3,392,412 INTERLUCKING SHEET PILES AND METHOD FINSTALLATION William A. Hunsucker, 3741 Prestwick Drive, Los Angeles,Calif. 90627 Filed .lune 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,344 6 Claims. (Cl.61-60) This invention relates to interlocking sheet piles which may bedriven into the earth to form a wall, colierdam, or the like. Thisinvention relates to improvements in constru-ction and method ofinstallation of such sheet piles in order to minimize leakage of Waterthrough the interlocking joints.

In brief, this invention contemplates the removal of earth or otherforeign material from the interlocking portions of adjacent sheet pilesas they are driven into the earth, the provision of spreader lugs forcrowding adjacent sheet piles away from each other within the limitpermitted by the interlocking connection, and the introduction of asealant into the space so provided between the interlocking parts. Inthis way, a continuous barrier is provided to minimize or eliminate thepassage of water through the wall or cofferdam formed by theinterlocking sheet piles.

More specific objects of this invention are to provide improved meansfor removing earth or other foreign material from the interlocking partsof the sheet piles at the time the sheet piles are driven, and toprovide improved means for spreading the sheet piles apart within thelimits allowed by the interlocking connection, to form adequate spacefor reception of a suitable sealant.

The interlocking edge portions of conventional sheet piles provide ampleclearance to permit adjacent sheet pile members to be mated and driveninto place in the earth. By providing means to force the adjacent pilemembers to move laterally relative to each other so that at least amajor portion of the clearances will accumulate in one direction, theresulting spaces within the interlocking parts are made large enough foreffective installation of a suitable sealant material.

These and other and more detailed objects and advantages will appearhereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partly broken away showing severalduplicate interlocking sheet pile members in position in the earth andshowing another duplicate interlocking sheet pile member in position tobe driven longitudinally into the earth.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan View taken substantially on the lines 2 2as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan View taken substantially on the lines 3-3as shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional detail taken substantiaily on thelines 4--4 as shown in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the lines 5-5as shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional detail taken substantially on thelines 6-6 as shown on FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the lines 7-7as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, the interlocking steel sheet piles 10 areduplicates and are provided on their parallel side edges withinterlocking tongue-andgroove connections generally designated 11. Thesheet pile members 10 are shown in position in the earth, and theduplicate sheet pile member 10a is shown in position to be drivenlongitudinally into the earth. The ground level is shown ice at 12. Theinterlocking duplicate sheet pile members 10 and 10a form a continuouswall generally designated 13.

Each of the duplicate sheet pile members lil and Illa is provided oneach side edge with interlocking longitudinal elements 14 and 15. Thefinger element 14 and the thumb element 15 cooperate to define acontinuous cavity 16, having a narrow lateral entrance s lot 17. Thethumb element 15 has a relatively thin portion 18 of lesser width thanthe entrance slot 17 and has a relatively thick portion 19 of greaterwidth than that of the entrance slot 17. Accordingly, when the lower end20 of the sheet pile member 10a is placed adjacent edge-to-edge with theupper end of one of the sheet pile members 1l] as shown in FIGURE l,with the thumb elements of each entering the cavity on the otherrespectively, the sheet pile member 10a may be driven longitudinallyinto the earth in interlocking relation to extend the length of the Wall13.

The parts 14a, 15a, and 16a on the duplicate member 10a are the same asparts 14, 15, and 16,previously de scribed, except that they arereversed right for left in order to produce the interlocking connection11. The parts 15 and 15a may be referred to as tongues entering grooves16a and 16, respectively.

In accordance with this invention and as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4,a shoe 22 is xed at or near the.

lower end 20 of the sheet pile member 10a and secured to the thumbelement 15a. The outer surface 23 of the shoe is shaped to conform tothe inner surface of the cavity 16. In a similar manner a scraperlt isfixed at or near the lower end 20 of the sheet pile member 10a under thefinger element 14a, and this scraper 24 has an outer surface 25 shapedto conform to the surface 26 on the thumb element 15. The scraper 24forms a bottom wall of the cavity 16a. When the sheet pile member 10a isdriven longitudinally into the earth from the position shown in FIGURE1, the shoe 22 slides within the cavity 16 to remove earth therefrom andto provide a chamber within the cavity 16. Similarly, downward movementof the sheet pile member 10a into the earth causes the scraper 24 tomove in sliding contact with the thumb element 15 to prevent entrance ofearth into the chamber formed by the cavity 16a.

Spreader lugs 30 are xed on the sheet pile member 10a in longitudinallyspaced relation and positioned within the cavity 16a. These spreaderlugs have sliding contact with the face 25 of the thumb element 15, andthey serve to crowd t-he members 10 and 10a to spread them laterallywithin the limits provided by the interlocking parts. The purpose ofthis spreading is to increase the lateral width of the clearance spacebetween the thumb elements and the wall of the cavities. The lugs 30 areshort in axial extent.`

Means are provided for introducing a suitable sealant into the chambersformed by the cavities 16 and 16a, and, as shown in the drawings, thismeans includes an aperture 32 provided in each sheet pile member 10 andcommunicating with the cavity 16. Clearance space 33 may be torch cut orotherwise provided, which communicates with the aperture 32 to provide apassage between the cavities 16 and 16a. A conduit 34 provided with avalve, not shown, extends from the aperture 32 to a sealant container35, which may be positioned at or near the ground level 12. Sealant isallowed to flow through the conduit 34 and through the aperture 32 andpassage 33 to lill the space within the cavities 16 and 16a after thelower end 20 of the member 10a passes below the position of the aperture32. The sealant ows by gravity into the cavities 16 and 16u during thetime that the member 10a is being driven longitudinally into the earth.The body of sealant 36 fills the cavities around the thumb element` asshown in FIGURE 7, thereby preventing fiow of water through theinterlocking parts.

An alternate position for the sealant container is the position 35ashown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. In the latter case, the valveconduit 34 is connected to the upper open end of the cavity I6, and theaperture 32 is plugged. Communication between the cavities 16 and 16aremains by way of the passage 33.

While any suitable form of sealant may be used, it is preferred toemploy a polymerizable resin material having a pot life of suitableduration corresponding to the time required for driving one of the sheetpile members. The sealant changes from liquid form to solid orsemi-solid after the predetermined time interval. If the earth intowhich the sheet piles are driven contains water to any considerableextent, the sealant used should be heavier than water, so that it willnot be displaced by the water. The clearance spaced between the fingerelements and thumb elements of the interlocking connection 11 have beenexaggerated in the drawings for clarity of illustration, and in practisethese clearance spaces are so narrow that very little sealant escapesfrom the cavities 16 and 16a.

Having fully described my invention, itis to be understood that I am notto be limited to the details herein set forth, but that my invention isof t-he full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided withlongitudinal interlock elements, the interlock elements on each sideedge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longit-udinal fingerelement defining a continuous cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slotOf lesser width than the Width of the cavity, the thumb element having arelatively thin portion of lesser width than that of the entrance slotand terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-sectionthan the crosssection of said cavity, the improvement comprising: a shoexed on one end of the thumb element and projecting therefrom and havingan outer surface shaped like the inner surface of said cavity, wherebyupon placing the lower end of said sheet pile member adjacentedge-to-edge with the upper end of another duplicate sheet pile memberpreviously driven longitudinally into the earth, with the thumb elementseach entering the cavity on the other member, respectively, the saidmember may be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlockingrelation with the duplicate member, said shoe sliding within the cavityof the duplicate member to remove earth from thatcavity, and therebyprovide a sealant receiving chamber within that cavity and around thethumb element therein and longitudinally spaced spreader lugs wit-hinthe cavity and attached to the cavity wall or thumb element for slidingcontact with the companion element of the duplicate sheet pile memberfor spreading the sheet pile members within the limit allowed by theinterlocking parts.

2.. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided withlongitudinal interlock elements, the interlock yelements on each sideedge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longitudinal ngerelement defining a continuous cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slotof lesser width than the width of the cavity, the thumb element having arelatively thin portion of lesser width than that of the entrance slotand terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-sectionthan the crosssection of said cavity, the improvement comprising: ascraper fixed on one end of the finger element and extending across thebottom of t-he cavity to form an end wall of the cavity and having anedge shaped like the outer 'surface of the thumb element, whereby uponplacing the lower end of said sheet pile member adjacent edge-to-edgewith the upper end of another duplicate sheet pile member'previouslydriven longitudinally into the earth, with 'L the thumb elements eachentering the cavity on the other member, respectively, the said membermay be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relationwith the duplicate member, said scraper slidably contacting the thumbelement on the duplicate member to exclude earth from the cavity on thefirst said member as it is driven into the earth, to provide a sealantreceiving chamber within said cavity and around the thumb elementtherein.

3. The device of claim 2 in which longitudinally spaced spreader lugsare provided within the cavity and attached to the cavity wall or thethumb element for sliding contact with the companion element of theduplicate sheet pile member for spreading the sheet pile members withinthe limit allowed by the interlocking parts.

4. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided withlongitudinal interlock elements, the interlock elements on each sideedge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longitudinal fingerelement defining a continuons cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slotof lesser width than the width of the cavity, the thumb element having arelatively thin portion of lesser wi-dth than that of the entrance slotand terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-sectionthan the cross-section of said cavity, the improvement comprising: ashoe fixed on one end of the thumb element and projecting therefrom andhaving an outer surface shaped like the inner surface of said cavity, ascraper fixed on one end of the finger element adjacent the shoe andextending across the bottom of the cavity, said scraper forming an endwall of the cavity and having an edge shaped like the outer surface ofthe thumb element, whereby upon placing the lower end of; said sheetpile member adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of anotherduplicate sheet pile member previously driven longitudinally into theearth, with the thumb elements each entering the cavity on the othermember, respectively, the said member may `be driven longitudinally intothe earth in interlocking relation with the duplicate member, said shoesliding within the cavity of the duplicate member, to remove earth fromthe cavity, said scraper slidably contacting the thumb element on theduplicate member to exclude earth from the cavity on the first saidmember as it is driven into the earth, and to provide a sealantreceiving chamber within each cavity and around each thumb element.

5. The device of claim 4 in which longitudinally spaced spreader lugsare provided within the cavity and attached to the cavity wall or thethumb element for sliding contact with the companion element of theduplicate sheet pile member for spreading the sheet pile members withinthe limit allowed by the interlocking parts.

6. In a pair of duplicate sheet pile members, each having parallel sideedges each provided with longitudinal interlock elements, the interlockelements on each side edge including a longitudinal thumb element and alongitudinal finger element defining a continuous cavity with a narrowlateral entrance slot of lesser width than the width of the cavity, thethumb element having a relatively thin portion of lesser width than thatof the entrance slot and terminating in a thick portion which is Smallerin cross-section than the cross-section of said cavity, the improvementcomprising: a shoe fixed on one end of the thumb element of each memberand projecting therefrom and having an outer surface shaped like theinner surface of said cavity, a scraper fixed on one end of the fingerelement of each member adjacent the shoe and extending across the bottomof the cavity, said scraper forming an end wall of the cavity and havingan edge shaped like the outer surface of the thumb element, whereby uponplacing the lower end of one of the said sheet pile members adjacentedge-to-edge with the upper end of the other sheet pile memberpreviously driven longitudinally into the earth, with the thumb elementseach entering the cavity on the other member,

respectively, the rst said member may be driven longitudinally into theearth in interlocking relation with the other member, said shoe slidingWithin the cavity of said other lmember to remove earth therefrom, saidscraper slidably contacting the thumb element on said other member toexclude earth from the cavity on the lfirst said member as it is driveninto the earth, to provide a sealant receiving chamber within eachcavity and around each thumb element, and means for introducing asealant into said chambers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES E.OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

10 JACOB SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A SHEET PILE MEMBER HAVING PARALLEL SIDE EDGES EACH PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL INTERLOCK ELEMENTS, THE INTERLOCK ELEMENTS ON EACH SIDE EDGE INCLUDING A LONGITUDINAL THUMB ELEMENT AND A LONGITUDINAL FINGER ELEMENT DEFINING A CONTINUOUS CAVITY WITH A NARROW LATERAL ENTRANCE SLOT OF LESSER WIDTH THAN THE WIDTH OF THE CAVITY, THE THUMB ELEMENT HAVING A RELATIVELY THIN PORTION OF LESSER WIDTH THAN THAT OF THE ENTRANCE SLOT AND TERMINATING IN A THICK PORTION WHICH IS SMALLER IN CROSS-SECTION THAN THE CROSSSECTION OF SAID CAVITY, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A SHOE FIXED ON ONE END OF THE THUMB ELEMENT AND PROJECTING THEREFROM AND HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE SHAPED LIKE THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CAVITY, WHEREBY UPON PLACING THE LOWER END OF SAID SHEET PILE MEMBER ADJACENT EDGE-TO-EDGE WITH THE UPPER END OF ANOTHER DUPLICATE SHEET PILE MEMBER PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN LONGITUDINALLY INTO THE EARTH, WITH THE THUMB ELEMENTS EACH ENTERING THE CAVITY ON THE OTHER 